Visitors are welcome to come out and enjoy the farm anytime during normal business hours. This is a self-guided endeavor, but if you’d like a more in-depth look at the farm guided by staff, we offer several tour options.
We are passionate about farming and we love to share stories and knowledge with the community. We invite you to come and experience agriculture by learning the history, asking plenty of questions, and discovering how important sustainable farming is to our future.
Throughout warm season months, we offer both self-guided and staff-guided tours. Self-guided tours welcome you to roam about the property freely, staff-guided tours will offer an in-depth history and educationally immersive walking experience.
Our farm is open year round, and also serves lunch & brunch. We invite you to stop on by and enjoy the beautiful scenery, visit the animals, and shop the farm store. There is no charge to explore the barnyard and environs (except during our fall festival, September–November).
We do offer private use of the farm for special occasions, so be sure to check here for farm closures. And click here if you’re interested in hosting a private event of your own at the farm!
This tour goes exploring through our 80 acres of working farmland. Head to the top of UFO hill for a spectacular view, walk alongside the creek through old forest, see the grazing animals on pasture, and learn about regenerative agriculture. You will get an overview of our farm history and current farming practices. We will be traversing through tall grasses, so suitable boots are suggested.
COST
Adults: $12
Youth (Age 6-17): $8
Children (Under 6): Free
We offer a variety of staff-led, private tours that allow you get the full experience of the farm, including vivid explanations of why we do what we do and why it matters. See areas of the farm seldom explored by the public, visit with the herds, and connect with our staff. Some tours even include a meal!
Start at 4pm with an in-depth tour of the farm, exploring our history and agricultural model, along with a meet-and-greet of our farm animals. Choose the standard top-tier tour, or upgrade to a horseback ride for an authentic farm experience. Immediately following the tour, your group will be treated to a plated farm-to-fork meal prepared by our expert catering chef, including an adult beverage of your choice. Finish the day with engaging conversations and gorgeous long-range views as the sun sets.
Time: 4pm-6:30pm
Guests: Minimum 4, Maximum 12
Cost: $100 per person (minimum $400)
Optional: additional $50 per person for horseback riding
Our farmer-led private tours present an in-depth view of the farming systems and philosophy of Hickory Nut Gap Farm—perfect for those choosing agriculture as a potential future endeavor, looking for some fresh ideas, or just curious about the local farm scene in Western North Carolina.
This is a 1.5-hour walking tour with a senior member of our farm crew.
$200 (minimum) for a group of 10 or fewer, plus $20 for each additional person. Children under 6 are free.
Availability varies based on our seasonal farming schedule.
For those interested in a broader overview of farm practices, including the bigger philosophies and ecology behind them, plus local history and other topics; this fun, digestible private tour is a big hit for families, friend groups, and anyone who can’t make it to the farm for our Saturday public walking tour. Finish off with lunch, ice cream, and a cold beverage from the farm store to make a day of it, and don’t forget to whiz down the culvert slides and wade in the creek—fun for children of all ages!
$150 (minimum) for a group of 10 or fewer, plus $15 for each additional person. Children under 6 are free.
Hickory Nut Gap Farm offers tours year-round to school groups ranging from preschool to college-aged students.* Experience the farm with a 1-hour guided tour including animals, fruits, and bees with grade-level-appropriate topics and activities. Tour content can be modified to meet your individual curriculum needs.
The kids loved hearing about the baby farm animals. Their eyes lit up when they each got to hold a baby chick. What a great experience.
Use our online booking request tool (button below) to book a field trip. Contact Megan Auten with any questions. *Do you have an adult special-needs group? Get in touch with Megan to discuss a custom field trip.
Your class will orient with their guide(s) on safety, what to expect that day, and why they are there. They’ll learn about pollination and tour the berry fields, apple orchard, and animal pastures. Our animals are grazed rotationally, and students will get to see several animals up-close or in pasture!
Please let us know if you would like us to tailor the tour content to a specific area of study. Your guide will get the students participating in several games and activities throughout the tour to keep them engaged, and we will have several water stations throughout the property so everyone stays hydrated.
Canceled field trips forfeit their deposit.
We will run your field trip rain or shine, so dress accordingly! Be sure to check the weather the day before and plan appropriately: bug spray, sunscreen, hats, rain slickers, warm sweaters, and GOOD SHOES! We’ll be walking all over the grounds. Open-toed shoes are not advised, and remember the grass is wet in the mornings, even if it hasn’t rained!
To make the most of your visit, we suggest having the following items:
Some Other Things to Make Your Trip Great
$150 minimum, plus $7.50 additional for each additional student over 20 students.
Teachers, bus drivers, and chaperones are free.
Groups of 40 or more students will be split up into smaller groups, each with their own guide, to ensure everyone has a great experience.
Field trips can be scheduled on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Available time slots for the structured portion of your field trip are 10am–11am and 10:30am–11:30am. After the tour, students are welcome to stay and enjoy the climbing web, tunnel slides, and creek, and eat their lunches in one of our picnic areas. During the fall, there are additional attractions, including a nature trail, hay bales, and a corn pit. Your group is welcome to stay for the duration of the day until the close of business.
KEEP IN TOUCH TO LEARN ABOUT THE FARM, OUR SPECIAL OFFERS AND NEW PRODUCTS
©2021 Hickory Nut Gap :: Website by Native Marketing :: Asheville, NC
©2021 Hickory Nut Gap :: Website by Native Marketing :: Asheville, NC
